If You Were God

We often question God's ways. But given the chance, how would we do things differently?

By nature and culture, these tribes are exploitative and belligerent. This results in much suffering on the island, caused by war, poverty and prejudice.

They have been living this way for centuries without any sign of improvement.

Your Assignment:

To try to improve this society.

To teach its members to live together in harmony and reduce suffering to a minimum or eliminate it entirely.

To create a healthy society.

Your Resources:

You have all the resources that a highly advanced technology can offer.

You have the entire island under surveillance and can see what is happening in any place at any time.

You have such devices as cloud-seeding equipment and can plant underground explosives. Within reason, you can control weather, flooding, volcanoes and earthquakes, and produce any "natural" phenomenon on cue.

You also have devices that can be used to implant ideas through subliminal suggestion. You can implant ideas to entire populations or to certain select leaders.

However, you must take into account the severe limitations of subliminal suggestion. If you try to implant any ideas that go against the basic nature of the populace, they will be totally rejected and your efforts will be in vain.

One alternative would be to implant ideas that somehow would make use of the acknowledged bad nature of these people.

Your Restrictions:

Under no circumstances are the natives of this island to be aware of your presence.

This supersedes all other considerations.

The cultural shock caused by your revealing yourself would disrupt the entire fabric of the island culture. It would cause much suffering and more than offset any good that you could possibly accomplish.

The natives would be reduced to a state of almost vegetable-like dependence from which they would be unlikely to recover. If they did recover, they might rebel so violently as to eliminate any positive values they might have originally had.

Therefore, the restrictions that you not reveal yourself must be followed without exception under any circumstances.

But aside from this restriction, you have a free hand to proceed as humanely or as ruthlessly as you see fit.

In short, you have the opportunity to play God.

What would you do?

THE QUESTIONS

Many people say that these days it is very difficult to believe. We live in a generation that has seen the brutal murder of the 6 million. We have seen children burned to death in Vietnam, babies starved in Biafra, and a nation systematically decimated in Bangladesh. We see starvation, poverty and inequality wherever we look. Good people suffer and the dishonest seem to thrive.

It is man, not God, who brings most evil to the world.

Many people ask what seems to be a legitimate question: Why does God allow these things? Why doesn't He do something about it?

To some extent, the answer should be obvious. It is man, not God, who brings most evil to the world. God does not make wars -- men do. God did not kill the 6 million -- men did. God does not oppress the poor -- men do. God does not drop napalm -- men do.

But people come back and argue that this does not really answer the question. The basic dilemma still remains: Why did God create the possibility of evil? Why does He allow it to exist at all?

To even begin to understand this, we must delve into the very purpose of creation.

This purpose requires a creature responsible for its own actions. This in turn requires that people have free will.

If God would have wanted a race of puppets, then He would have created puppets. If He would have wanted robots, then He would have made robots. But this is not what God wanted. He wanted human beings, with free will, responsible for their actions.

IMAGE OF GOD

But as soon as you have free will, you have the possibility of evil.

The deeper we probe, the clearer this becomes.

To the best of our understanding, God created the universe as an act of love. It was an act of love so immense that the human mind cannot even begin to fathom it. God created the world basically as a vehicle upon which He could bestow His good.

But God's love is so great that any good that He bestows must be in the greatest good possible. Anything less would simply not be enough.

But what is the greatest good? What is the ultimate good that God can bestow on His creation?

If you think for a moment the answer should be obvious. The ultimate good is God Himself. The greatest good that He can bestow is Himself. There is no greater good than achieving a degree of unity with the Creator Himself. It is for this reason that God gave man the ability to resemble Himself.

God therefore gave man free will.

Just as God acts as a free Being, so does man. Just as God operates without prior restraint, so does man. Just as God can do good as a matter of His own choice, so can man. According to many commentators, this is the meaning of man being created in the "image" of God.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE

But if God's purpose does not permit man to be a robot, neither does it permit him to be a prisoner.

To make this freedom of choice real, God creates the possibility of evil.

Just as man has free will, he must also have freedom of choice. A man locked up in prison may have the same free will as everybody else, but there is little that he can do with it. For man to resemble his Creator to the greatest possible extent, he must exist in an arena where he has a maximum freedom of choice. The more man resembles God in His omnipotence, the closer he can resemble Him in his free choice of the good.

To make this freedom of choice real, God also had to create the possibility of evil. If nothing but good were possible, it would produce no benefit. To use the Talmudic metaphor, it would be like carrying a lamp in broad daylight. The Zohar thus states, "The advantage of wisdom comes from darkness. If there were no darkness, then light would not be discernible, and would produce no benefit...Thus it is written, "God has made one thing opposite the other" (Ecclesiastes 7:14).

Just as God's purpose does not allow man to be a physical prisoner, neither does it permit him to exist in an intellectual prison. How would man behave if God were to constantly reveal Himself? Would he really be free? If man were constantly made aware that he was standing in the King's presence, could he go against His will? If God's existence were constantly apparent, this awareness would make man a prisoner.

This is one reason why God created a world which follows natural laws, and in this way conceals Himself. Thus, our sages teach us, "The world follows its natural pattern, and the fools who do evil will eventually be judged."

This is the concept of the Sabbath. After the initial act of creation, God withdrew, as it were, and allowed the world to operate according to laws of nature which He had created. The "clock" had been made and wound up, and now could run with a minimum of interference. When we observe the Sabbath, we similarly refrain from interfering or making any permanent changes in the order of nature.

TREE OF KNOWLEDGE

But the questioner can probe still deeper. He can ask: Why did God allow so much evil to exist in man's nature to begin with? Why does it seem so natural for man to oppress his neighbor and make him suffer?

But here also, we must realize that man's arena of action is here in the physical world, and therefore he must be part of a universe where God's presence is eclipsed. The spiritual in man may soar in the highest transcendental realms, but man's body is essentially that of an animal. Our sages teach us that man partakes of the essence of both angel and beast. The Zohar goes a step further and tells us that in addition to the divine soul which separates man from lower forms of life, man also has an animal soul.

When man first came into existence, there was a basic harmony existing between these two parts of his nature. His intellect and animal nature were able to exist together without any intrinsic conflict. He had the opportunity to live in harmony with nature, devoting all his energies to the spiritual. However, there was an element of temptation in this Garden of Eden. Man's destiny was to transcend his animal nature on a spiritual plane. But he also had the temptation to transcend it on a physical level, to partake of the Tree of Good and Evil.

Man succumbed to this temptation.

This knowledge then came between the two basic elements in man, the animal and the human. Man was no longer like the animal, bound to nature, in harmony with his basic nature. He still had all the desires, lusts and aggressive nature of the animal. But he also acquired the ability to use his intellect so that his animal nature would be directed against his fellow human beings. It is this conflict between his animal and human nature that thrusts man in the direction of evil. We are therefore taught that it is man's animal nature that is responsible for the Yetzer Hara, the evil in man.

But here again, God cannot be blamed.

The decision to partake of the Tree of Knowledge -- to transcend his animal nature on a worldly plane -- was a decision that man made as a matter of free choice.

As soon as man partook of the Tree of Knowledge, he knew good and evil. Morality became a matter of knowledge and conscious choice, rather than part of man's basic nature. He would now have to wrestle with a new nature, where the animal and angel in him are in conflict.

TECHNOLOGICAL STRIDES

But we can probe still further. We can ask: Why could man not have been made better? Why did God not make him into something that was more angel and less animal?

Here too, the fault was man's. Our sages teach us that the prohibition against tasting the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was only temporary. Man's spiritual nature was gradually developing in such a manner that he would have eventually been strong enough to master his animal instincts. When this time arrived, he could have partaken of the Tree of Knowledge without endangering his spiritual essence.

Man was indeed destined to be more angel and less animal. However, this was now to be a gradual process. It was aborted by man's impatience, his partaking of "knowledge" before its time. It was this knowledge that brought him in conflict with his animal nature, and stunted his spiritual development, making the beast dominant.

This thread runs through the entire history of mankind. Man's knowledge gave him a technology that could create instruments of destruction, but his moral strength was not great enough to avoid misusing them. This has reached its peak in our generation, where man has the power to destroy his entire planet, either with nuclear weapons, or by poisoning his environment. Man's knowledge gives him tremendous power, but he still has not learned how to use this power for the good. This is the reason why the Messianic Age must soon arrive. Only then will man learn how to use his knowledge for the good.

Until then, man is faced with this great dilemma. He has the knowledge to create great societies, but they always get out of control and degenerate. He can make great technological strides, but he does not have the moral strength to use them for good. One of the saddest comments on the human predicament is the fact that many of our greatest technological advancements have been made to further the cause of warfare.

REACTION TO MIRACLES

Why doesn't God open up the heavens and stop all this evil?

Still, the basic question does not seem to go away. Admittedly, man has an evil nature and it is his own fault. But why doesn't God intervene? Why doesn't He open up the heavens and stop all this evil? Why didn't He send down a bolt of lightning and destroy the concentration camps? Why didn't He send down some kind of manna for the starving babies of Biafra and Bangladesh? Why didn't He stop the napalm bombs from burning innocent Vietnamese children? Why doesn't He pull off a miracle and make all the world's nuclear bombs disappear? After all, He is God. He certainly can do it. So why doesn't He?

We are taught, however, that an overabundance of light does not rectify the vessels, but shatters them.

What would happen to our society if miracles suddenly started taking place? How would we react to it?

Could we go about our daily affairs as if nothing had happened? Could the vast, complex structures, upon which our civilization rests, continue to exist if this direct awareness of God were suddenly thrust upon us?

Take a city like New York. It takes the efforts of tens of thousands to provide food and other necessities to such a huge city, and further thousands just to transport these needs. It takes another army to provide the city with water, electricity, heat, and the removal of waste. Could this structure survive the awareness of miracles? And if it did not, would not the suffering be all the greater? If God began a miraculous intervention, would He not have to do it all the way? Indeed, this might take place in the Messianic Age, but then, the time must be ripe.

How would we react to miracles? Probably very much in the same way primitive societies react to the "miracles" of those that are more advanced. The first reaction is one of shock, or what sociologists call cultural shock. The natives first lose interest in everything and become completely dependent on the more advanced culture. They cease to have a mind of their own and develop a lethargy where life grows devoid of meaning. The degeneration of the proud self-sufficient savage into the shifty, no-account native is often as tragic as it is inevitable.

If a society is not completely destroyed by the initial cultural shock, it undergoes a second stage, that of rebellion. The primitive culture rebels against both the invaders and their values. This is why so many missionaries ended up in the proverbial cooking pot.

If man resembles an animal, then he resembles a wild animal rather than a domestic one. It is man's destiny to be free, not subject to other men. Thus, the inevitable result of the introduction of a higher culture is to overwhelm a more primitive one.

When a higher culture is introduced, the initial reaction of the natives is to become domesticated, to become like cattle or sheep. If the domestication is complete, the humanity of the native is obliterated, at least, until he assimilates the dominant culture. Otherwise, the natives rebel and reassert their natural humanity.

If God were to reveal Himself, then man would no longer be able to exist as a free entity.

The same is essentially true of our relationship to God. As long as He is hidden, we can strive toward Him, and attain the Godly. But we do this as a matter of free choice and are not overwhelmed by it. But if God were to reveal Himself, then man would no longer be able to exist as a free entity. He would know that he was always under the scrutiny of his Master, and that would make him into something less than human. He would be come some kind of puppet or robot, with an essential ingredient of his humanness destroyed. The only alternative would be rebellion.

But either alternative would cause more evil and suffering than would be alleviated by God's original intervention. There would be too much light, and the vessels would be shattered.

NATIONAL REVELATION

There was only one time when God literally revealed Himself and visibly stepped in and changed the course of history. This was at the Exodus from Egypt, where He performed miracles both in Egypt and by the Red Sea. This episode was climaxed by the Revelation at Sinai, where an entire nation literally heard the voice of God.

What happened then?

The first reaction at Sinai was one of shock. The people simply could not endure the majesty of God's word, and our sages teach us that their souls literally left them. Their reaction is expressed in the Biblical account of Sinai, where immediately afterward they told Moses (Exodus 20:16), "You speak to us and we will listen, but let not God speak with us any more, for we will die."

When the people overcame their initial shock, they proceeded to the second stage, that of rebellion. This took place just 40 days after the Revelation at Sinai. They went against God and all His teachings, reverting to idolatry and worshipping a golden calf. They had heard the Ten Commandments from God Himself just 40 days earlier, and now they were violating every one of them.

We learn a very important lesson from this. For God to reveal Himself to an unworthy vessel, it can do more harm than good. This is one important reason why God does not show His hand.

Many people say that they would believe if only they could witness some sign or miracle. Sinai showed us that even this is not enough, if people do not want to believe.

From all this we can begin to understand one of the most basic restrictions that God imposes upon Himself. He is a hidden God, and does not reveal Himself. This is required by man's psychology as well as God's very purpose in creation. God only reveals Himself to such people whose faith is so great that the revelation makes no difference in their belief. As Maimonides pointed out, the only major exception to this rule was the Exodus.

THE SOLUTIONS

Taking into account God's most basic self-restrictions, we can now make some attempt to place ourselves in God's place.

Our most basic restriction is that we not reveal our hand.

Taking this restriction into account, we can return to our opening problem, and imagine a microcosm where we are in a position to play God.

This opening problem was discussed in a number of groups, and much of what follows is a result of their conclusions. However, before reading on, you might wish to re-read the problem, and attempt to draw your own conclusions.

Much of the discussion revolved around solutions involving something like a huge chess game with the entire island as the board. There would be moves and countermoves, with a strategy to attempt to maneuver the natives into a desired position. Like a chess grandmaster, you would attempt to keep control of the game at all times. Your "win" would be to achieve the desired result.

While you have enough resources to eventually win, certain problems immediately become apparent. Not the least is the fact that every move may take decades or even centuries. You might achieve results, but it is a very long, drawn-out process. You might have all the time in the world, but each year brings all the more suffering.

There is an even more profound problem. Even more important than influencing events is our ultimate goal of improving the values of the natives. However, even though a lesson may be learned by one generation, it may be equally forgotten by a succeeding generation. To make positive values an integral part of the island's culture is a most formidable task.

A constant thread of suggestion in these discussions involved infiltration. We could try to influence the island through infiltrators. As long as it was not obvious, it would be within the rules.

Such infiltration could serve two purposes. First of all, we could use the infiltrators as an example. They could set up a model society, and if it endured long enough, it might interest people in attempting to emulate it or learn from it.

The infiltrators could also be used to teach the natives directly. Gradually, parts of their culture could be introduced to the island, raising its moral level. This could rapidly accelerate the game's conclusion.

These infiltrators would always be in a position of great peril. Operating on a different value system, they would always be considered outsiders. The more their message diverged from that of the majority, the more they would be resented. Scattered throughout the island to spread their message, they would very likely become a persecuted minority. By the rules of the game, there would be very little you could do to help them.

At best, you would play your game in such a way as to protect them as much as possible. Because of the danger of revealing your hand, communication with your infiltrators would have to be kept to a minimum. They would have to live on this island for many generations, scattered among the natives, and you would have to set up many safeguards to prevent them from assimilating the corrupt values of the island. To some extent, their status as a persecuted minority may also help prevent such assimilation. But essentially, they would have to play their role in ignorance of your overall strategy.

Gradually, the islanders would eventually become aware of your presence. Once the game was ended, you might even be able to reveal yourself. The infiltrators' role would also then be revealed. As part of your organization, they would become the natural leaders and teachers of the island.

THE CONCLUSION

As you might have already guessed, examining this microcosm gives us considerable insight into the way that God interacts with the world. He is working to bring the world to a state of perfection, which in our tradition is the Messianic promise. It is a slow process, whereby God constantly maneuvers the forces of history toward this end. This "game" is essentially all of human history.

You might have also recognized the infiltrators. They are the Jewish people, who were given the basis of a perfect society in the teachings of the Torah. A society living according to these God-given principles can set itself up as an example of a healthy society, free of the social diseases of its surrounding culture.

When God first gave the Torah, He told the Jewish people (Leviticus 20:26), "You shall be holy unto Me, for I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the peoples, that you should be Mine." It is Israel's mission to set such an example, as the Torah states (Deut. 4:6), "You must observe [these commandments] carefully and keep them, for they are your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations. When they hear of these statutes, they will say, ‘Surely, this great nation is a wise and understanding people.'"

It is our task to bear witness to God's plan for humanity, as we find, "You are My witnesses, says God, and My servant, whom I have chosen" (Isaiah 43:10). Likewise, God told His prophet, "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness...and have set you for a covenant of the people, for a light unto the nations" (Isaiah 42:6). We are thus taught that Israel is like the heart of humanity, constantly beating and infusing all mankind with faith in God and His teachings.

It was in this spirit that Judaism gave birth to both Christianity and Islam. Although far from perfection, these religions are a step in the right direction away from paganism. The final step is yet to be made.

More important, however, is the fact that the Jewish people, at least those who keep the Torah, continue to stand as an example of a perfect society designed by God. The Torah and its commandments indeed represent the highest wisdom in perfecting human society. The tzaddik is the closest that we can come to the perfect human being.

Israel's unique position in accepting God's Torah will eventually result in the [dissolution] of all competing cultures. It would also temporarily result in Israel's earning the hatred of these cultures. Our sages teach us that just as an olive must be crushed before it brings forth its oil, so is Israel often persecuted before its light shines forth. Thus, God told His prophet, "A bruised reed, he shall not break; a dimly burning wick, he shall not be extinguished; he shall make justice shine forth in truth. He shall not fail nor be crushed, until he has right in the earth, and the islands shall await the teachings of his Torah" (Isaiah 42:3,4).

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

We live in an age of many questions. The newspapers and television bring the horrors of the word onto our front doorstep and our living rooms. What was once hidden by the barrier of intercontinental distance is now before our very eyes. We see the suffering and killing and starvation, and ask how God can tolerate such evil. For the Jew, the question of the 6 million always looms in the foreground of any such discussion.

But for one who understands the true depths of Judaism, there is no question. When you have probed into the very reason for existence and purpose of creation, not only do you find answers, but the questions themselves cease to exist.

In this world we must bless God for both good and evil, but the in Future World, we will realize that there is nothing but good.

One of the great Jewish leaders of [recent memory was] the Klausenberger Rebbe. He lost his wife, children and family to the Nazis, and himself spent two years in the hell of Auschwitz. Yet, he emerged from all this to rally a generation of concentration camp refugees back to Judaism, found a community in Williamsburg, and eventually build a settlement in Israel.

I often heard this great leader discuss the concentration camps and the 6 million. There are tears and sadness, but no questions. For here we have a tzaddik, whose great mind can see beyond the immediate. When one's gaze is on the Ultimate, there truly are no questions.

The most important thing to remember is that God is the ultimate good, and therefore, even the worst evil will eventually revert to good. Man may do evil, but even this will be redeemed by God and ultimately be turned into good. The Talmud teaches us that in this world we must bless God for both good and evil, but the in Future World, we will realize that there is nothing but good.

Reprinted with permission from "If You Were God," published by the National Conference of Synagogue Youth.

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About the Author

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan was a multi-faceted, prolific exponent of Jewish thought -- skilled in both Kabbalah and Jewish law, as well as the natural sciences (he was listed in "Who’s Who in Physics"). He suffered an untimely death at age 48.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 36

(29)
Tibor Spitz,
January 8, 2015 6:10 PM

This author changed my life of a hurt Holocaust survivor

I survived the Holocaust at the age of 15, regaine my interrupted and denied education, eventually escaped from hostile communism and settled in the West. Ariel Kaplan and particularly his book IF I WERE G-D restored my peace of mind and I was able to understand the entire process of my suffering. I became an artist and gave many lectures explaining my audiences the JEWISH MEANING and perception OF HUMAN LIFE. It has helped thousands of my listeners to understand and without exceptions they stopped living in pain and feeling hurt by the injustice .... and all became proud, happy & content as every Jew showing humanity the way should ...

(28)
Peninah,
January 7, 2015 9:29 PM

Toda Rabbi

I am speechless,such a beautiful article.I found myself crying. I was so touched by the profound truth in this article.G-d speaks to men daily and this article is testament to this. Blessed are You L-rd our G-d whose miracles are with us daily.

(27)
bvw,
January 7, 2015 2:18 PM

Forty years

Wandering like angels in the desert, after God revealed himself in miracles leaving Egypt (perhaps like angels, maybe not, at least there is some real sense of being more spiritual than humans before or since). Was that the "penalty box" for a generation who HAD been so close, that their children would survive?

(26)
Terry,
January 7, 2015 2:04 PM

Non man-made evil

You did not address the issue of non man-made evil that befalls us such as natural disasters.

David,
November 29, 2016 8:26 PM

Re: Non man-made evil

I think that the existence of natural disasters is consistent with G-d remaining hidden. The world appears to behave according to the laws of science.

If nature were "idiot-proof", if we could endure a 1000-foot fall from a cliff, a lightning strike or an attack by a 400-pound tiger, without suffering harm, that could be viewed as proof of a benevolent Creator protecting us.

(25)
Elizabeth,
January 7, 2015 10:29 AM

Wonderful article!

What a great article! So much to ponder here. And, as C.S. Lewis (the Christian writer) once wrote, yes, the Almightly could appear at any time and put a stop to the evil taking place in the world. But if He should do so, the whole show will be over. And clearly He doesn't think the time has come for that.

(24)
SusanE,
January 7, 2015 3:51 AM

What would God do? He is already doing it. In Secret.

"By nature and culture, these tribes are exploitative and belligerent. This results in much suffering on the island, caused by war, poverty and prejudice." - - He would help them to become as equals. Each man neither above or below his neighbor. Each having an equal share of living space and breathing space and work space and freedom of choice for raising his family. There would be plentiful food and no real currency. The people could write their own rules. Then I would watch how they conducted themselves. Determine what they needed to help one another, and secretly provide it for them.

(23)
Gloria Schroeder,
January 7, 2015 3:01 AM

Mans Ways or Gods Ways?

You say, Our Father gives "free will" to man. I say, HE wants us to choose to love HIM. In the Garden of Eden, HE gave us the ability to love HIM through obedience. When man ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad, what they did was eat food that lowered their immune system, allowing bacterial growth. This degenerated both the mind and body to the point of death. We still have the choice to show HIM we love him. If the Tree of Life corrects the affects of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad, just why do we take drugs (toxins) and use surgery? Lack of faith, choosing mans' ways over God's Ways.( My peoples will live as long as the Tree of Life exists -Sept. Isaiah 65 22)

(22)
Stephanie,
January 6, 2015 10:35 PM

Thank you!

I wish you could see my face and my eyes! You would see that I now understand the deep soul wrenching question that I have been dealing with.
I think, however, that God reveals Himself more that we believe. We just need 'eyes to see' and 'ears to hear'. He just revealed Himself through your words. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
...now if I can just remember what I have just learned.

(21)
Rafael,
January 6, 2015 10:09 PM

If i wanted people to obey me , I would make puppets

If i design a computer for myself , i would not infect it with a virus and expect it to function as intended. Since being a puppet would produce a perfect servant . free will has only one purpose . That purpose is to stray from the original program. It is collision that defines our universe. Collisions of the stars,planets,people etc. Life leads to death and death in turn leads to new life. Know this and you will be one with God.

(20)
Avraham Nahoumi,
January 6, 2015 9:16 PM

If you were God

If God were omnipotent and benevolent, He couldn't logically permit serious evil events to occur. The reason serious evil exists is simply that God's power is limited. Thus He can't always prevent the murder of innocents and the success of the wicked.

(19)
Austin,
January 6, 2015 7:11 PM

I would change the method of nourishment. It seems strange that everything eats everything else. I would remove the restriction on population control. It is the biggest problem that we have. Finally, I would deny people the right to claim that certain words are "the word of God".

(18)
David,
January 6, 2015 5:23 PM

What would I do?

For starters, I doubt I'd try to exterminate them if they decided to worship someone other than me.That said, the premise here seems to contradict the Torah-- R' Kaplan claims that revealing my presence would shock these natives into a sense of stupor. That doesn't seem to have happened on Sinai or at the Red Sea... why should it happen in this case?

(17)
Bernie Siegel, MD,
November 5, 2012 9:04 PM

The answer to why would you want to be God.

The Baal Shem Tov , while watching Jews suffering at the hands of Cossacks said, "I wish I were God." His students response was, "Oh you would stop this?" "N, but I would understand why." A perfect wolrd is not creation. We are all here to live and learn and raise the level of consciousness and make it a world where we are all one family.

Lauren Roth,
November 8, 2012 1:01 PM

Are you THE Bernie Siegel, MD

My name is Lauren Roth--if you're Bernie Siegel, MD, the author, I want you to know that I am a big fan of your writings. I read your books while my husband was going through cancer treatments 15 years ago, and they were a wonderful source of inspiration for me. I write a column for Aish.com now and I would love your feedback.

(16)
ruth cohen,
November 5, 2012 2:09 AM

often thought of this

lets see the world is full of hungry children,kiddie porn. homeless children, slave labour, sex industry,guns,crime, and cruelty. then on the other side beauty and nature and some folks who actually are doing tikkun olam. on the scales seems to me we have totally lost the way and our attempts are too little too late. if i had the power i would wipe out the human race as a failed experiment. as long as we have one abused sad lost neglected child we have failed. good thing i dont have the power.

Ken,
November 8, 2012 9:10 PM

didn't think of this

At no time, did G-d ever say that we must be perfect. All of us humans are too finite to be able to say where the scales are, nor did G-d give us a specific time limit. That you are able to see the suffering of others is an improvement over the apathy of the past. Rather than wishing for humanity's destruction, perhaps you should consider what you can personally do to alleviate these problems.

star messenger,
January 6, 2015 7:01 PM

Judahism Gave Birth To Christianity And Islam

The author states: "It was in this spirit that Judaism gave birth to both Christianity and Islam. Although far from perfection, these religions are a step in the right direction away from paganism. The final step is yet to be made."

If the above is true, how then, does the author explain Jesus' utter contempt for the Pharisees? They were the keepers of the Law of Moses. If Christianity is "a step in the right direction", why then, did Jesus condemn the Pharisees?

Islam is opposed to both Christianity and Judaism. So, where is the "improvement"? With every "new" religion comes the "right" to hate and kill for this new "god".

The authors argument is, "If you were God" and revealed, to man, "everything", the result would be more hatred and confusion. That account seems to the right one. So, the moral of the story is to...stay away from God.

P.S. If life is a chess game, and "God knows the end from the beginning", why bother if the end is known and Judgement has already been determined? Just sayin'.

(15)
Sue,
November 4, 2012 5:05 PM

Brilliant article

I agree with Wassim. Thank you Rabbi Kaplan for a great, inspiring and for me, comforting article.

(14)
Anonymous,
October 30, 2011 2:11 AM

Here's the problem, "Under no circumstances are the natives of this island to be aware of your presence."
Right there you invalidate any comparison with the Judeo-Christian god because according to their holy books he HAS revealed himself to people which is why they believe.
So this really ISN'T an argument for the existence of god.
Or if it is, its a poor one.

Anonymous,
March 30, 2012 9:58 AM

Lame argument?

In the problem presented, the rule "Under no circumstances are the NATIVES of this island to be aware of your presence" is merely pointing out that it is the NATIVES that are the subjects upon which God would be dealing with... The group of people sent as a MODEL for The Natives are the ones whom have God revealed Himself... The Problem being presented mainly states how God would be revealing Himself to humans in a "persuasive" rather than "coercive" way. When playing God, one can't simply say, HERE I AM, I'M GOD. That is why as God, one sends out a MODEL GROUP. As said, "God reveals Himself to those who are ready to believe Him"... It has also been mentioned that people still don't believe even if He has revealed Himself to them (as through national revelation, as in Exodus).

Ethan,
November 11, 2012 3:42 AM

Not really. It hasn't been shown that there IS a God, only that certain people claim that there is one. Imagine if the infiltrators said (instead of showing them) that there was an advanced society with a better moral code, and that they should use those morals to create a utopia.

(13)
anon,
October 14, 2011 9:46 PM

The flaw in this article is that only two people are recorded as eating from the Tree of Good and Evil.
Yet billions have inherited the results of that decision

Leigh,
March 30, 2012 9:40 AM

The said flaw...

Still basing it on the scriptures from which the story of the first man and woman has been drawn, the generations that came after the two who ate from the Tree of Good and Evil, are THEIR children. So it means they have "inherited" it from them. The First Man and Woman represented the human race... The children are the flesh and blood of the parents.

(12)
Wassim,
May 19, 2009 12:51 AM

Brilliant article - absolutely brilliant

How incredible, less than a month ago, I was in the kitchen wondering if I could prove God's existence by employing the scientific method of testing a hypothesis. It didn't work, there were too many variables that kept creeping into the equation... but my thoughts ran along the same lines as what this article says (ie. How can people live if they KNEW that God was present, how would I be able to make love to my wife?). It reminded me of what I read somewhere along the lines of "God had to contract to allow the universe to exist". Anyway, the island analogy is a good one, and the reasons for God's restriction regarding revealing himself, make it easier to continue to believe in God. You could almost say that you KNOW God exists, but the word "know" doesn't adequately describe the feeling. Maybe it's instinct, intuition, a sixth sense... but it's more rational than that... it's just not scientifically provable (yet - I still hold out hope). Thanks Rabbi Kaplan - great motivational article.

(11)
pleasant,
May 18, 2009 9:35 PM

I would still seek god's advice before acting.

He will always be God, even if he lets me get a taste of his job, so I would defer to him just like Moses and Deborah did. ,D

(10)
Bernie Siegel, MD,
May 17, 2009 1:20 PM

understand why

when the baal shem tov watched the cossacks killing his jewish brethren he was heard to say, "i wish i were god." when his students said, "so you could stop this?"
"no because i would understand why."
we all need to realize that perfection is not creation it is a magic trick. when with our free will we reveal our compassion and love evil will be eliminated. we are here to live and learn and let us hope we do become educated and capable of loving our brethren all of whom come from the same source and are god's children.

(9)
bill kase,
April 9, 2004 12:00 AM

refuge 4 shabbot

in a foreign home 4 week...only light for learning is your articules. what a special way to end the week with printing your thoughts for tomorrow (shabbot)thank you

(8)
Anonymous,
March 7, 2004 12:00 AM

your site is more than wonderful (understatement). the first time i learned a bit about kabbalah (and judaism, i guess; that's what you call it), i thought that this was deep stuff. and i thought that what i've learned so far was as deep as it could get. then, after a while, i realized everything just gets deeper and deeper. and it's a never ending deepness, like G_d. it's a wonderful surprise but i guess i always had an inkling it should be this way. why did i learn about this only now? G_d has His reasons.

(7)
Anonymous,
September 15, 2001 12:00 AM

I am reading this post-terrorist hit on America. You can only imagine the thoughts while I read this article.
After hearing a rabbi say in his sermon that G-d did this to make us repent during these High Holy Days, I find the article to give me peace.
May we celebrate a new year in peace!

(6)
,
September 2, 2001 12:00 AM

amaizing

A long time now, i've been thinking about this type of stuff but i have never been able to think it through as clearly as this.
i've read some of Reb Aryeh Kaplan's books and i loved them. Thank you for putting them into use. This article has majorly helped me. Thank you very much.

(5)
,
August 28, 2001 12:00 AM

I used to ask this question...

This is a question that I used to ask my father all of the time. His answer was to throw back a short question. "Do you think that you could do better"? Then he would force me to think on the question. I believe that his point was to focus me on the fact that G--d is our parent and deserves that same respect. Also, that G--d has more experience and HIS answers are the right ones. Mine are the ones that need more shaping.

This article brings high resolution to ideas that were somewhat cloudy and even presents the new subtle point that if G--d were to "make it all better" HE may cause more evil. Thank you for publishing it.

(4)
Anonymous,
August 28, 2001 12:00 AM

Unsatisfying Answer

With all due respect to the great Rabbi Kaplan, this essay is very problematic.
We read in the haggadah that "In every generation there are those who seek to destroy us, but G-d saves us from their hands." When G-d does not save people, it is not because of his inability, but because for some reason he chose for a tragedy to happen. If, for example, G-d did not decree the Holocaust, He could have caused the Germans to lose battles without resorting to the miraculous. The questions of suffering are valid; why must we insist that our small minds can grasp the answers?

(3)
Suzanne Tunstall,
August 27, 2001 12:00 AM

real insight into G-d's plan for us to live by

A deeper understanding of how we are to live our lives to the fullest.

(2)
Anonymous,
August 27, 2001 12:00 AM

After reading the headline of this article, i was reminded of a story: The first Chabad Rebbe the "Baal Hatanya" was once sitting with a few other students of the holy Magid of Mezirich, among them Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berdichev. One of the said If I was running the world I would stop poverty, the other one gave said a similar comment... hearing this the Baal Hatanya said "If I was running the world I would run it just like it is...

(1)
Joanne Millstone,
August 26, 2001 12:00 AM

Excellent Article!

What a wonderful exercise in understanding some of the nature of The Almighty (I don't believe that we people shall ever grasp Him whole) And what a miracle - the Klausenberger Rebbe's surviving the death camps with such terrible losses, to witness the atrocities he must have witnessed, and still have his faith in G-d. He cheated Evil on every level.

I plan to download this article to my hard drive. It is my answer to the question, "How can G-d allow ..." You have given me THE answer I need.

I’ve heard the argument made that Jews should not buy German products, for example Volkswagen cars which used Jewish slave labor during the war. It is wrong for Jews to support German industries?

My cousin says we should just forgive and forget. I would like your thoughts on the subject.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The great rabbi known as the Chazon Ish once said that if a Torah scroll was found burning, and a man used it to light his cigarette, there is no Jewish law that forbids it. Nevertheless, doing so would show a lack of sensitivity. So too, Jewish law does not forbid purchasing a German car.

Regarding the "demand for forgiveness," people often quote the Bible that when one is struck, it is proper to "turn the other cheek" and allow that cheek to be struck as well. But that only appears in the Christian Bible. Jews believe in fighting actively against evil.

Almost all people are inherently good and so we should forgive their lapses. But some people are truly evil – for example, Amalek, the ancient nation which wantonly attacked the Jews leaving Egypt.

Over two millennia ago when Haman (a descendant of Amalek) was commanded by the king to lead his enemy Mordechai through the streets of Shushan, Mordechai was too weak to climb on to the horse. Haman had to stoop to allow Mordechai to use his back as a stepping stool. In the process, Mordechai delivered a vicious kick to Haman which obviously startled him.

Turning to Mordechai in bewilderment, Haman asked: "Does it not say in your Bible, 'Do not rejoice at your enemy's downfall?'" Mordechai responded that indeed it does, but it refers only to people less evil than Haman. So too, we have no reason or allowance to forgive the Nazis and their helpers. Those who scraped the concrete in the gas chambers gasping for air can choose whether to forgive the Germans. We cannot.

In 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem. Sadat was the first Arab leader to officially visit Israel, after receiving an invitation from Menachem Begin. Sadat had orchestrated the Egyptian attack on Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but after suffering defeat became resigned to the existence of the State of Israel. Much of the Arab world was outraged by Sadat's visit and his change of strategy. One year later, Sadat and Begin signed the Camp David Peace Agreement, for which they received the Nobel Peace Prize. As part of the deal, Israel withdrew from the Sinai peninsula in phases, returning the entire area to Egypt by 1983.

There are many tasks, jobs, and chores that we will end up
doing whether we really enjoy doing them or not. Many hours of our lives are spent this way. The late Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, of Ponevehz Yeshivah, used to say, "If you are going to do it anyway, do it with joy."

Train a young lad according to his method, so that when he grows older he will not deviate from it (Proverbs 22:6).

He shall not deviate from it - the child will not deviate from the method with which he was taught. That method refers to the way we are taught to adapt to life's many hurdles, struggles, and tests.

Education consists of more than just imparting knowledge; it also means training and preparation in how to deal with life. Knowledge is certainly important, but is by no means the sum total of education.

"A person does not properly grasp a Torah principle unless he errs in it" (Gittin 43b). People usually do not really grasp anything unless they first do it wrong. In fact, the hard way is the way to learn. Children learn to walk by stumbling and picking themselves up; young people learn to adjust to life by stumbling and picking themselves up.

Parents and teachers have ample opportunities to serve as role models for their children and students, to demonstrate how to adapt to mistakes and failures. If we show our children and students only our successes, but conceal our failures from them, we deprive them of the most valuable learning opportunities.

We should not allow our egos to interfere with our roles as educators. Parents and teachers fulfill their obligations when they become role models for real life.

Today I shall...

try to share with others, especially with younger people, how I have overcome and survived my mistakes.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...